Information recording apparatus and method, information reading apparatus and method, magnetic tape format, and recording medium

1. An information recording apparatus for recording information on a predetermined recording medium, said information recording apparatus comprising: creation means for creating search data from main image data; and recording means for recording said search data created by said creation means and said main image data on said recording medium, wherein said creation means creates first data by which an image can be displayed over an entire screen, and second data for enhancing the image quality of said image displayed by said first data, each being used as said search data, and said recording means records said first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by said second data, wherein the first data includes a first macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a third macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a second color-difference signal, and wherein the second data includes three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, the three luminance signals and the first luminance signal are portions of a main luminance signal.

2. An information recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said recording means records said second data after said first data is recorded.

3. An information recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said creation means creates each of said first data and said second data in such a manner so as to be divided into a plurality of portions in predetermined units.

4. An information recording apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said predetermined units are units of blocks in which error checking is performed.

5. An information recording apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said creation means creates said second data corresponding to the central portion of one screen of said image, and at least one piece of said second data corresponding to a portion which is outside the central portion, and said recording means records a plurality of pieces of said second data in a sequence from the data corresponding to the central portion of one screen of said image to the data corresponding to a portion outside the central portion.

6. An information recording apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said recording means records said first data in said predetermined units in such a manner as to be obtained by one trace during reading.

7. An information recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said search data is composed of image data and control data, said control data has a packet structure in which a search header and subcode data which is the same as said main image data are written in such a manner so as to be divided, and the packet header of said packet structure indicates which data is written in said control data.

8. An information recording method for use with an information recording apparatus for recording information on a predetermined recording medium, said information recording method comprising: a creation step for creating search data from main image data; and a recording step for recording said search data created in said creation step and said main image data on said recording medium, wherein, in said creation step, first data by which an image can be displayed over an entire screen and second data for enhancing the image quality of said image displayed by said first data, each being used as said search data, are created, and in said recording step, said first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by said second data are recorded, wherein the first data includes a first macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a second color-difference signal, and wherein the second data includes three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, the three luminance signals and the first luminance signal are portions of a main luminance signal.

9. A recording medium having recorded thereon a computer-readable program for use with an information recording apparatus for reading information on a predetermined recording medium, said program comprising: a creation step for creating search data from main image data; and a recording step for recording said search data created in said creation step and said main image data on said recording medium, wherein, in said creation step, first data by which an image can be displayed over an entire screen and second data for enhancing the image quality of said image displayed by said first data, each being used as said search data, are created, and in said recording step, said first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by said second data are recorded, wherein the first data includes a first macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a second color-difference signal, and wherein the second data includes three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, the three luminance signals and the first luminance signal are portions of a main luminance signal.

10. An information reading apparatus for reading information recorded on a predetermined recording medium, said information reading apparatus comprising: acquiring means for acquiring search data, which is composed of image data and control data, recorded on said recording medium; and display control means for controlling the display position of said image data on the basis of coordinate information contained in said control data, wherein the image data comprises: first data having three macro blocks including a first macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a third macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a second color-difference signal, and second data, recorded sequentially after the first data, having three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, the three luminance signals and the first luminance signals are portions of a main luminance signal.

11. An information reading apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising interpolation means for interpolating a display image by using said search data obtained by said acquiring means when said search data obtained by said acquiring means is less than the required amount of data for one screen of the display image.

12. An information reading method for use with an information reading apparatus for reading information recorded on a predetermined recording medium, said information reading method comprising: an acquiring step for acquiring search data, which is composed of image data and control data, recorded on said recording medium; and a display control step for controlling a display position of said image data on the basis of coordinate information contained in said control data, wherein the image data comprises: first data having three macro blocks including a first macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a third macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a second color-difference signal, and second data, recorded sequentially after the first data, having three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, the three luminance signals and the first luminance signals are portions of a main luminance signal.

13. A recording medium having recorded thereon a computer-readable program for use in an information reading apparatus for reading information recorded on a predetermined recording medium, said program comprising: an acquiring step for acquiring search data, which is composed of image data and control data, recorded on said recording medium; and a display control step for controlling a display position of said image data on the basis of coordinate information contained in said control data, wherein the image data comprises: first data having three macro blocks including a first macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a third macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a second color-difference signal, and second data, recorded sequentially after the first data, having three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, the three luminance signals and the first luminance signals are portions of a main luminance signal.

14. An information recording apparatus for recording information on a predetermined recording medium, said information recording apparatus comprising: creation means for creating search data from main image data; and recording means for recording said search data created by said creation means and said main image data on said recording medium, wherein said creation means creates first data by which an image can be displayed over an entire screen, and second data for enhancing the image quality of said image displayed by said first data, each being used as said search data, and said recording means records said first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by said second data, wherein the search data for nine traces of the recording medium are arranged across 144 tracks separated into four traces of first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by five traces of second data, wherein the first data includes a first macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a third macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a second color-difference signal, and wherein the second data includes three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, wherein the three luminance signals and the first luminance signal are portions of a main luminance signal.

15. An information recording apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein said recording means records said second data after said first data is recorded.

16. An information recording apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein said creation means creates each of said first data and said second data in such a manner so as to be divided into a plurality of portions in predetermined units.

17. An information recording apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said predetermined units are units of blocks in which error checking is performed.

18. An information recording apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said creation means creates said second data corresponding to the central portion of one screen of said image, and at least one piece of said second data corresponding to a portion which is outside the central portion, and said recording means records a plurality of pieces of said second data in a sequence from the data corresponding to the central portion of one screen of said image to the data corresponding to a portion outside the central portion.

19. An information recording apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said recording means records said first data in said predetermined units in such a manner as to be obtained by one trace during reading.

20. An information recording apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein said search data is composed of image data and control data, said control data has a packet structure in which a search header and subcode data which is the same as said main image data are written in such a manner so as to be divided, and the packet header of said packet structure indicates which data is written in said control data.

21. An information recording method for use with an information recording apparatus for recording information on a predetermined recording medium, said information recording method comprising: a creation step for creating search data from main image data; and a recording step for recording said search data created in said creation step and said main image data on said recording medium, wherein, in said creation step, first data by which an image can be displayed over an entire screen and second data for enhancing the image quality of said image displayed by said first data, each being used as said search data, are created, and in said recording step, said first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by said second data, wherein the search data for nine traces of the recording medium are arranged across 144 tracks separated into four traces of first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by five traces of second data, wherein the first data includes a first macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a third macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a second color-difference signal, and wherein the second data includes three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, wherein the three luminance signals and the first luminance signal are portions of a main luminance signal.

22. A recording medium having recorded thereon a computer-readable program for use with an information recording apparatus for reading information on a predetermined recording medium, said program comprising: a creation step for creating search data from main image data; and a recording step for recording said search data created in said creation step and said main image data on said recording medium, wherein, in said creation step, first data by which an image can be displayed over an entire screen and second data for enhancing the image quality of said image displayed by said first data, each being used as said search data, are created, and in said recording step, said first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by said second data, wherein the search data for nine traces of the recording medium are arranged across 144 tracks separated into four traces of first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by five traces of second data, wherein the first data includes a first macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a third macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a second color-difference signal, and wherein the second data includes three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, wherein the three luminance signals and the first luminance signal are portions of a main luminance signal.

23. An information reading apparatus for reading information recorded on a predetermined recording medium, said information reading apparatus comprising: acquiring means for acquiring search data, which is composed of image data and control data, recorded on said recording medium; and display control means for controlling the display position of said image data on the basis of coordinate information contained in said control data, wherein the image data for nine traces of the recording medium are arranged across 144 tracks separated into four traces of first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by five traces of second data, wherein the first data includes a first macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a third macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a second color-difference signal, and wherein the second data includes three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, wherein the three luminance signals and the first luminance signal are portions of a main luminance signal.

24. An information reading apparatus according to claim 23 , further comprising interpolation means for interpolating a display image by using said search data obtained by said acquiring means when said search data obtained by said acquiring means is less than the required amount of data for one screen of the display image.

25. An information reading method for use with an information reading apparatus for reading information recorded on a predetermined recording medium, said information reading method comprising: an acquiring step for acquiring search data, which is composed of image data and control data, recorded on said recording medium; and a display control step for controlling a display position of said image data on the basis of coordinate information contained in said control data, wherein the image data for nine traces of the recording medium are arranged across 144 tracks separated into four traces of first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by five traces of second data, wherein the first data includes a first macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a third macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a second color-difference signal, and wherein the second data includes three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, wherein the three luminance signals and the first luminance signal are portions of a main luminance signal.

26. A recording medium having recorded thereon a computer-readable program for use in an information reading apparatus for reading information recorded on a predetermined recording medium, said program comprising: an acquiring step for acquiring search data, which is composed of image data and control data, recorded on said recording medium; and a display control step for controlling a display position of said image data on the basis of coordinate information contained in said control data, wherein the image data for nine traces of the recording medium are arranged across 144 tracks separated into four traces of first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by five traces of second data, wherein the first data includes a first macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a third macro block of discrete cosine components are extracted from a second color-difference signal, and wherein the second data includes three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, wherein the three luminance signals and the first luminance signal are portions of a main luminance signal.

27. An information recording apparatus for recording information on a predetermined recording medium, said information recording apparatus comprising: creation means for creating search data from main image data; and recording means for recording said search data created by said creation means and said main image data on said recording medium, wherein said creation means creates first data by which an image can be displayed over an entire screen, and second data for enhancing the image quality of said image displayed by said first data, each being used as said search data, and said recording means records said first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by said second data, wherein the first data includes a first macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a third macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a second color-difference signal, and wherein the second data includes three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, wherein the three luminance signals and the first luminance signal are portions of a main luminance signal, wherein a sync block of a sync block header of the recording medium includes macro blocks that correspond with the image displayed such that macro blocks of the first data are mapped to the display image, left to right, from an X address of a start macro block and a Y address of the start macro block, and wherein the sync block header includes a picture class ID to indicate whether the search data is first data or second data.

28. An information recording apparatus according to claim 27 , wherein said recording means records said second data after said first data is recorded.

29. An information recording apparatus according to claim 27 , wherein said creation means creates each of said first data and said second data in such a manner so as to be divided into a plurality of portions in predetermined units.

30. An information recording apparatus according to claim 29 , wherein said predetermined units are units of blocks in which error checking is performed.

31. An information recording apparatus according to claim 29 , wherein said creation means creates said second data corresponding to the central portion of one screen of said image, and at least one piece of said second data corresponding to a portion which is outside the central portion, and said recording means records a plurality of pieces of said second data in a sequence from the data corresponding to the central portion of one screen of said image to the data corresponding to a portion outside the central portion.

32. An information recording apparatus according to claim 29 , wherein said recording means records said first data in said predetermined units in such a manner as to be obtained by one trace during reading.

33. An information recording apparatus according to claim 27 , wherein said search data is composed of image data and control data, said control data has a packet structure in which a search header and subcode data which is the same as said main image data are written in such a manner so as to be divided, and the packet header of said packet structure indicates which data is written in said control data.

34. An information recording method for use with an information recording apparatus for recording information on a predetermined recording medium, said information recording method comprising: a creation step for creating search data from main image data; and a recording step for recording said search data created in said creation step and said main image data on said recording medium, wherein, in said creation step, first data by which an image can be displayed over an entire screen and second data for enhancing the image quality of said image displayed by said first data, each being used as said search data, are created, and in said recording step, said first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by said second data, wherein the first data includes a first macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a third macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a second color-difference signal, and wherein the second data includes three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, wherein the three luminance signals and the first luminance signal are portions of a main luminance signal, wherein a sync block of a sync block header of the recording medium includes macro blocks that correspond with the image displayed such that macro blocks of the first data are mapped to the display image, left to right, from an X address of a start macro block and a Y address of the start macro block, and wherein the sync block header includes a picture class ID to indicate whether the search data is first data or second data.

35. A recording medium having recorded thereon a computer-readable program for use with an information recording apparatus for reading information on a predetermined recording medium, said program comprising: a creation step for creating search data from main image data; and a recording step for recording said search data created in said creation step and said main image data on said recording medium, wherein, in said creation step, first data by which an image can be displayed over an entire screen and second data for enhancing the image quality of said image displayed by said first data, each being used as said search data, are created, and in said recording step, said first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by said second data, wherein the first data includes a first macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a third macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a second color-difference signal, and wherein the second data includes three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, wherein the three luminance signals and the first luminance signal are portions of a main luminance signal, wherein a sync block of a sync block header of the recording medium includes macro blocks that correspond with the image displayed such that macro blocks of the first data are mapped to the display image, left to right, from an X address of a start macro block and a Y address of the start macro block, and wherein the sync block header includes a picture class ID to indicate whether the search data is first data or second data.

36. An information reading apparatus for reading information recorded on a predetermined recording medium, said information reading apparatus comprising: acquiring means for acquiring search data, which is composed of image data and control data, recorded on said recording medium; and display control means for controlling the display position of said image data on the basis of coordinate information contained in said control data, wherein said image data of said search data comprises first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by second data, wherein the first data includes a first macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a third macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a second color-difference signal, and wherein the second data includes three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, wherein the three luminance signals and the first luminance signal are portions of a main luminance signal, wherein a sync block of a sync block header of the recording medium includes macro blocks that correspond with the image displayed such that macro blocks of the first data are mapped to the display image, left to right, from an X address of a start macro block and a Y address of the start macro block, and wherein the sync block header includes a picture class ID to indicate whether the search data is first data or second data.

37. An information reading apparatus according to claim 36 , further comprising interpolation means for interpolating a display image by using said search data obtained by said acquiring means when said search data obtained by said acquiring means is less than the required amount of data for one screen of the display image.

38. An information reading method for use with an information reading apparatus for reading information recorded on a predetermined recording medium, said information reading method comprising: an acquiring step for acquiring search data, which is composed of image data and control data, recorded on said recording medium; and a display control step for controlling a display position of said image data on the basis of coordinate information contained in said control data, wherein said image data of said search data comprises first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by second data, wherein the first data includes a first macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a third macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a second color-difference signal, and wherein the second data includes three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, wherein the three luminance signals and the first luminance signal are portions of a main luminance signal, wherein a sync block of a sync block header of the recording medium includes macro blocks that correspond with the image displayed such that macro blocks of the first data are mapped to the display image, left to right, from an X address of a start macro block and a Y address of the start macro block, and wherein the sync block header includes a picture class ID to indicate whether the search data is first data or second data.

39. A recording medium having recorded thereon a computer-readable program for use in an information reading apparatus for reading information recorded on a predetermined recording medium, said program comprising: an acquiring step for acquiring search data, which is composed of image data and control data, recorded on said recording medium; and a display control step for controlling a display position of said image data on the basis of coordinate information contained in said control data, wherein said image data of said search data comprises first data sequentially followed on the recording medium by second data, wherein the first data includes a first macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first luminance signal, a second macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a first color-difference signal, and a third macro block of discrete cosine components extracted from a second color-difference signal, and wherein the second data includes three macro blocks of discrete cosine components extracted from each of three luminance signals, wherein the three luminance signals and the first luminance signal are portions of a main luminance signal, wherein a sync block of a sync block header of the recording medium includes macro blocks that correspond with the image displayed such that macro blocks of the first data are mapped to the display image, left to right, from an X address of a start macro block and a Y address of the start macro block, and wherein the sync block header includes a picture class ID to indicate whether the search data is first data or second data.